Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90 - Light And Shadow>
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112 - The Morning Comes>
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118 - After The Storm
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121
Chapter 122
Chapter 123
Chapter 124
Chapter 125
Chapter 126
Chapter 127
Chapter 128
Chapter 129
Chapter 130
Chapter 131
Chapter 132 -
Chapter 133
Chapter 134 - Epilogue 1.3
Chapter 135 - Epilogue 2.1: Traces Of Life
Chapter 136
Chapter 137 - Epilogue 2.3
Chapter 138
Chapter 139
Chapter 140
Chapter 141 - Epilogue 4.1: Ever After>
Chapter 142 - Epilogue 4.2
Chapter 143 - Epilogue 4.3
Chapter 144 - Epilogue 5.1>
Chapter 145 - Epilogue 5.2
Chapter 146 - The Most Romantic Weekend>
Chapter 147 - Short Stories 1.2
Chapter 148 -
Chapter 149 -
Chapter 150 -
Chapter 151 -
Chapter 152 -
Chapter 153 -
Chapter 154 - Short Stories 3.1: Unexpected Things Happen>
Chapter 155 - Short Stories 3.2>
Chapter 156 -
Chapter 157 -
Chapter 158 -
Chapter 159 -
Chapter 160 -
Chapter 161 - Short Stories 5.1: The Man Behind The Mask>
Chapter 162
Chapter 163
Chapter 164 -
Chapter 165 -
Chapter 166
Chapter 167 - Short Stories 6.2
Chapter 168 - Short Stories 6.3
Chapter 169
Chapter 170
Chapter 171
Chapter 172
Chapter 173
Chapter 174
Chapter 175
Chapter 176
Chapter 177
Chapter 178
Chapter 179
Chapter 180
Chapter 181
Chapter 182
Chapter 183
Chapter 184
Chapter 185
Chapter 186
Chapter 187
Chapter 188
Chapter 189 (End)
Categories Genre: All, Completed, Fantasy Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 189
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 189 Page No. 188 Page No. 187 Page No. 186 Page No. 185 Page No. 184 Page No. 183 Page No. 182 Page No. 181 Page No. 180 Page No. 179 Chapter 15
Chapter 15:
Again! I was used again!
I bit my lips and glared at him. It was all a lie when he called it a “reward.” He lied when he said he married me “just because.”
All lies.
To be honest, I didn’t believe him at the time, but I still couldn’t help my anger.
I asked him bluntly, “So, the deal you mentioned, tell me more about it.”
He smiled. That smile. I hated it. It was a bad sign whenever he smiled. It was poisonous.
“You need to act as my shield until I get rid of the dowager empress. It would be even better if you can help in getting rid of her.”
“… .and what do I get in return?”
“I will grant your wish. I can make it possible for you to create a new life outside of this castle, or I can even help you find your way back home.”
“But you said you didn’t want to!”
“This is all under the assumption that you will be able to convince me of your story. If your story is really true, then I obviously won’t be able to promise to return you to your world. However, if you want me to try, you can be sure I would be the best person to help you in this world.”
That was true. He was the emperor of Cransia, the strongest empire in this world. If I wanted even a chance of going back, I needed his help.
I remembered the dowager empress’s expression. She clearly wanted to kill me. This wouldn’t be easy. It will be very dangerous. However, I knew the saying. No pain, no gain.
I looked straight into his eyes and asked, “How can I trust that you will keep your promise?”
“I believed in your preposterous story, so you should trust me too. You are my accomplice, after all.”
“You said you will pretend to believe me, not believe me for real.”
“Same thing.”
I sighed. I couldn’t trust him, but I had no other choice. I nodded in the end.
“Alright. I will pretend to believe your word.”
Let’s give him another chance.
He laughed loudly.
We both stood up. Before leaving, I saw the inside of his teacup. The silver edges of the cup had turned black.
We looked at each other but didn’t say anything.
A kind and calm looking middle-aged lady bowed to me.
Her light brown hair was brushed back neatly, and her dress was elegant but not overly extravagant. The pieces of jewelry she wore on her hair and on her body were minimal and classy. She was older, but it was clear that she must have been a beauty in her younger days.
“Greetings, my lady. I have been assigned by the emperor to be your chief maid in waiting. I am Duchess Gust. Please call me Samantha.”
I nodded. “Nice to meet you, Samantha.”
The lines around her lips were deep and pronounced. Her face looked like she was smiling even when she wasn’t. Unlike the woman standing behind me.
The woman behind me asked sharply, “Excuse me, Duchess Gust.”
“Yes, Dame Cloyne.”
Orlean Cloyne.
Dame was the title given to a woman equivalent to the rank of a knight.
Technically, Orlean’s rank could not compare to that of Duchess Samantha. However, Orlean was my maid who came with me from my “homeland,” and that was why the duchess was being especially deferential to her as a show of respect for me, her superior.
Orlean knew this, and that was why she interrupted our conversation.
“I’m sorry to tell you, but I am the chief maid in waiting to the lady. There is no reason for you to be here.”
Orlean couldn’t be any ruder!
The duchess’s kind face hardened. When I remained silent, Orlean became even more confident.
She continued, “I came all the way from the Aeal colony to serve my lady, so it is only right that I take care of her.”
What a stupid woman. Well, it made sense now that Lisbeth was the way she was. She was raised by Orlean. I realized something unexpected today.
Who did she think she was?
I placed my teacup down roughly on purpose. It was the tea Orlean brought for me.
A sharp noise echoed in the room.
The two women’s eyes widened.
The Duchess stepped back wisely, but Orlean glared at me. She still saw me as a lowborn girl she dragged from Aeal colony. I glared back at her.
“The tea is bitter.”
“Pardon?” Orlean continued to glare at me rudely. She lowered her voice and murmured to me, “Your Highness, we can talk about that later…”
She addressed me as “Your Highness,” but it was clear she had no respect for me.
However, Orlean was mistaken about one very important thing. I was the one in charge, not her.
I inhaled deeply. Then, I raised my voice.
“How dare you!”
The room filled with sudden tension. Orlean finally realized her mistake and stepped back hesitantly.
I pushed the teacup away which spilled tea all over it.
I ordered, “Get me another cup immediately. How odd that you don’t even know how I like my tea when you supposedly came with me here to serve me…”
“Y, your highness!”
Orlean looked at me as if I was being unfair, but I ordered again coldly. I said to her like she was a lowly servant, “Are you refusing my order?!”
Duchess Gust followed suit and agreed with me.
“You have been given an order by the emperor’s wife. Will you not follow it?”
Orlean had no choice. Her hands trembled as she took the tea tray and left the room.
Samantha studied me for a few seconds before asking quietly, “So Dame Cloyne isn’t your person?”
I looked up at her and stared. I didn’t hide the fact that I was studying her. She was doing the same anyway.
I replied, “Orlean came to serve me on the day I was sent away to Cransia.”
Duchess Gust nodded silently. She probably could guess how I came to be here. I was sold instead of the Duke’s own daughter. Orlean was obviously more of my jailer than anything and the Duchess probably already knew this. My behavior today should have been enough to confirm her suspicion.
I couldn’t tell if this woman was someone I could trust, but my hate towards Orlean was too big. At this point, I would have preferred basically anyone over her.
I decided to test Duchess Gust to see what kind of woman she was.
“You must be on the emperor’s side.”
Her face relaxed as she nodded. “Yes. I have been serving his highness since he was very young.”
I was surprised. Knowing him, he would have meticulously surrounded himself with only those he could trust. I could guess this woman was one of the few he trusted the most. He sent her to me.
I laughed softly. “I must thank his highness. He made me his wife and even sent me someone like you to help me. How generous of him.”
Duchess Gust smiled. “You must be very important to him.”
Um, I don’t think so, lady. I guess her definition of important might be different from mine.
Lucretius was the man who made me into his shield against the dowager empress. He needed to keep me alive as long as possible for protection, that was why he would’ve sent Duchess Gust to me.
He was protecting me, but for a selfish reason. In fact, he really wasn’t protecting me at all but putting me in obvious danger. By appointing his trusted person as my maid, he was announcing to the world, especially the dowager duchess, that I was important to him. This would make me a clear target for the dowager empress.
This was his plan.
This was too dangerous.
I felt anxious. I remembered the teacup the emperor used this morning. Blackened silver edges. The tea was poisoned.
Thankfully, the emperor noticed it before it was too late, but it was a clear warning. My tea was most likely poisoned as well.
We almost died! It was only the morning after our wedding!
What a dangerous honeymoon. I felt so tired.
What have I gotten myself into?
Total Chapters in book: 189
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 290059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1450(@200wpm)___ 1160(@250wpm)___ 967(@300wpm)
______